Repeating firearm



Aug. 23, 1938. M. ABROWNING REPEATING FIREARM Filed July 27. 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l uw. w R kmh/W@ Q /NN A @M Y i UM \MM Mw. Mw Y Aug. 2 3, 1938. M. A. BROWNING REPEATING FIREARM Filed July 27, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 wu c/MAw MRR/NER A. BROWN/NG www:

Patented Aug. 23, 1938 UNITE sms PATT FFIC REPEATING FIREARM Application .trulyY a7, 1936, serial No. 92,822

8 Claims.

This invention relates to repeating firearms, such, for example, as repeating rifles, and has particular reference to a mechanism or means for feeding or transferring the cartridges from the magazine to the firing chamber.

The aim. of the invention is to provide, in a rearm of the character described, an improved, simplied, reliable, and effective arrangement for transferring or feeding cartridges one by one from a tubular magazine located beneath the barrel to the firing chamber of the barrel.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown, for illustrative purposes, one embodiment which the present invention may take:

Figure 1 is a right-hand side view of so much of` a repeating riiie as is necessary to illustrate the improvements of the present invention, the forward end of the receiver or frame being in longitudinal section, and the cartridge carrier or transfer member being illustrated in cartridge receiving position;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary View showing the forward end of the receiver in longitudinal section and the transfer member in cartridge delivering position;

Fig. 3 is a top plan View of what is shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the box which houses the transfer member;

Fig. 5 is a front View of the transfer member;

Fig. 6 is a bottom view thereof; and

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view through the receiver, the same being taken substantially on line 'l-T of Fig. 1.

In the` drawings, I have shown, for illustrative purposes only, a repeating rifle similar to that illustrated and described in my copending application Serial No. 23,561 filed May 27, 1935, it being understood that such a showing is by way of example only, it being apparent that the improvements of the present invention may be incorporated in repeating firearms generally having a tubular magazine located beneath the barrel.

Referring to the drawings in detail, A denotes the usual combined stock and forearm; B, the barrel, and C, the frame or receiver of suitable construction, the same being shown as having the same general form as that illustrated in my said application. The frame has a generally particylindrical breech receiving portion Ill and a pair of depending spaced parallel iianges I I. Positioned between, and secured to the forward ends 5 of, the flanges is a block I2. The upper surface of this block and the forward end of the parti- Cylindrical portion form an opening which is threaded so as to receive the rear threaded end of the barrel B. The numeral I3 designates the usual loading and ejection opening provided in the frame. Rearwardly of the block I2 and extending transversely between the flangesl II is a partition Iti so that there is provided between the block I2 and the partition I4 a compartment which, as presently pointed out, is adapted to receive my improved mechanism for feeding the cartridges to the firing chamber of the barrel. On the top of the partition It is a lug I5 which serves as an ejector to throw the cartridge through the ejection opening I3 when the breech block I6 is retracted. This breech block is mounted for reciprocation in the cylindrical portion of the frame and comprises, generally, a cylindrical steel bar having its forward end slabbed or cut away on its under side so as to clear the feeding mechanism. At the forward end and on opposite sides of the breech block are the usual spring pressed extractors I1 which need not be described in detail here as their construction and operation are well-known in the art. The breech block carries the usual iiring pin I8. The numeral 20 designates an action lever suitably` associated with the breech block so that, when the action lever is` thrown forwardly, the breech block is withdrawn to extract and eject the cartridge and, when the lever is thrown rearwardly, the breech block is advanced thereby feeding the next cartridge into the firing chamber of the barrel and closing the rear end of that chamber, the specific connection between the lever and the block not being illustrated as it forms no part of the present invention. The trigger guard, designated by the numeral 2 i, closes the lower end of the compartment above referred to and is secured, together with the forearm, to the block i2 by a screw 22. The magazine is in the form of a tube 23 underlying the barrel and having its rear end secured to the block I2 as by means of a screw 24. Within the magazine is a spring 25 behind which is located a plunger 26 adapted to engage the forward end of the foremost cartridge within the magazine so that all of the cartridges within the magazine are normally urged rearwardly. The

block I2 has a bore 2l which, in effect, constitutes a continuation of the bore of the magazine tube.

Referring now to the improvements of the present invention, the numeral 30 designates a sheet metal box adapted to t within the compartment between the block l2 and the partition Il! and having front, rear, and side walls. The rear wall is provided with a slot 3l through which the carrier 32 extends, and the upper forward corner of the box is cut away so as to clear the bore of the magazine. On the upper ends of the side walls is a pair of spaced fingers 33 which are curved towards each other, the internal surfaces of these fingers forming a seat in which the cartridge is engaged when the carrier reaches its uppermost position, as shown in Fig. 2. Also, on the upper ends of the side walls is provided a pair of fingers 34 similar to those usually incorporated in box magazines, these fingers having their rear edges 35 inclined upwardly and forwardly and being of assistance in guiding the cartridge into the ring chamber.

The carrier 32 is in the form of a block, the rear end of which extends through said slot Si in the box and a registering slot in the partition Hi, the block being pivoted to the partition as at 35. The body portion of the block has a transversely curved upper surface 3l supporting the cartridges. The forward face 38 of the block is curved vertically about the axis about which the block swings and is adapted, except when the block is in its lowermost position, to blank or :lose the rear end or the magazine; that is to say, this face provides an abutment against which the head of the rearmost cartridge in the magazine engages during movement of the block. Extending upwardly from the forward upper corners of the body portion of the carrier is a pair of laterally spaced apart anges 39, the front edges of which are turned inwardly towards each other so as to provide a pair of lips llt. The distance between the body portions of the anges is slightly greater than the diameter of the head of the cartridge, while the distance between the opposed edges of the lips is less than that diameter. The lips are spaced slightly forwardly of the front face 33 so as to provide entrance channels at the lower ends of these lips and which channels receive the head of the rearmost cartridge as the carrier moves downwardly to the cartridge receiving position shown in Fig. 1. The rear edges il of the flanges are curved upwardly and forwardly and are adapted to be engaged by the forward lower corner of the breech block as the latter advances to operative position whereby the carrier is camrned downwardly. Extending rearwardly from the rear end of the carrier is a tail i2 adapted to be engaged by a lug 43 on the under face of the slabbed-off portion of the breech block as the breech block is retracted whereby the carrier is cammed upwardly into a position where the cartridge carried thereby may be pushed into the firing chamber by the breech block as the latter returns to operative position. For the purpose of limiting the extent of downward movement of the carrier, the same is provided, at one side, with a rearwardly facing shoulder l adapted to engage against the rear wall of the box 3l).

Upward movement of the carrier to Cartridge delivering position and downward movement of the carrier to cartridge receiving position are initiated by the engagement of the breech block with the carrier (in the first instance with the tail Il?. and in the second instance with the inclined surfaces lil of the flanges, as previously described) but completion of such movements is effected with a snap action through the instrumentality of a spring arranged to move past the line of centers on which the spring and carrier are respectively pivoted. In the present instance, the carrier has, on its under side and between its ends, a forwardly facing seat l in which engages the upper rounded end of a guide 4l. The forward lower end of this guide extends through an opening d8 in a plate '39 located in the forward lower corner of the box 30. This plate has, on its lower edge, a roll or sleeve 50 which receives a pin i carried by the side walls of the box. The plate is inclined upwardly and forwardly, and its upper edge engages against the front wall of the box. About the guide, and between a collar 52 on the upper end thereof and the plate 49, is a coiled compression spring 53.

The operation of the arrangement is briefly as follows: Starting with the carrier 32 in its upper or cartridge delivering position shown in Fig. 2, when the breech block moves forwardly, the forward lower corner thereof engages the curved surfaces li of the flanges 33 whereupon the carrier is camrned downwardly. During such downward movement, the head of the rearmost cartridge will bear against the curved front face 38 of the carrier until the lips 4l] move in front of the head of the rearmost cartridge, whereupon that cartridge is moved by the magazine spring 25 back onto the upper surface 37 of the carrier. The next cartridge, which is now the rearmost cartridge in the magazine, now engages against the front surface provided by said lips 40, as shown in Fig. 1. At about the time that the breech block has reached its foremost position, it comes in contact with the tail 42 of the carrier thereby forcing the carrier to its extreme downward cartridge receiving position where it is maintained by the spring 53, as shown in Fig. l. Nhen the breech block is retracted, the lug 43 thereon will engage the tail 112 of the carrier thereby camming the carrier upwardly, and just before the carrier has reached its uppermost position, the spring becomes effective to snap the carrier to that position and in which position the carrier holds the cartridge thereon against the inturned fingers 33 of the box 3U. During such upward movement of the carrier, the now rearmost cartridge in the magazine will bear rst against the front surfaces of the lips 40, and when those lips are withdrawn from behind that cartridge, the cartridge will jump back slightly to engage the curved front face 38 of the carrier. Now when the breech block is again advanced, the forward end thereof will engage the head of the cartridge on the carrier and move the cartridge into the ring chamber. During such movement of the cartridge, the carrier is cammed down by the breech block so that the lips 40 will escape the head of the cartridge as the latter is moved into the ring chamber,

There are various advantages in providing an arrangement wherein the carrier is snapped to each of its extreme positions, and among these advantages may be mentioned the following: This arrangement insures that the carrier, each time it receives a cartridge from the magazine, will always be in the same position and the carrier will hold the successive cartridges in the same position with respect to the lips and the advancing breech block, thus taking care of diiferences or tolerances in the dimensions of parts including diiferences in the diameter of the cartridge heads. Also, rattling of the carrier is prevented. Furthermore, the same degree of precision of the parts and the expense of manufacture are not necessary as would be the case if the carrier were positively moved and maintained in each of its extreme positions. Since the carrier is maintained in its lowered position by the spring, there is no friction on the under side of the breech block during its rearward movement such as would be present if the breech block were employed to lower the carrier into and maintain it in its lowermost position.

As many changes could be made in the above .construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the language used in the following claims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of -the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a firearm, a barrel, a tubular magazine therebeneath, a frame enclosing a breech block "movable towards and from the rear end of the barrel, a carrier pivoted to said frame for movement from cartridge receiving position with respect to the magazine to cartridge delivering position with respect to said barrel and vice versa, interengaging means between said carrier and breech block for initiating upward and downward movements of said carrier, a spring guide bearing at one end against said carrier and supported at its other end in said frame whereby said first mentioned end may be moved vertically with the carrier, and a coiled spring about said guide and adapted to move said carrier to each of its extreme positions when the end of said guide in f engagement with said carrier is moved past center.

2. In a iirearm, a barrel, a tubular magazine therebeneath, a frame having a compartment rearwardly of the magazine, a breech block in said frame movable towards and from the rear end of said barrel, a box in said compartment and having fingers at its upper end forming a seat for a cartridge, a carrier extending into said box and pivoted to said frame for movement from cartridge receiving position to cartridge delivering position and vice versa, interengaging means between said carrier and breech block for initiating upward and downward movements of said carrier, a spring guide in said box and supported for rocking and longitudinal movements therein, one end of said guide bearing against said carrier, and a coiled spring within said box and about said guide and adapted to move said carrier to each of its extreme positions with a snap movement.

3. In a firearm, a frame, a barrel, a tubular magazine beneath the barr'el, a reciprocating breech block in the frame, and a carrier pivoted to said frame for movement to and from cartridge receiving and cartridge delivering positions, said carrier comprising a block having an upper cartridge supporting surface and a front vertically curved face opposed to said magazine during movement of the carrier, said carrier also having at its forward upper corner spaced flanges provided with lips spaced forwardly of said front face and adapted to engage in front of the head of the rearmost cartridge in the magazine when the carrier approaches cartridge receiving position, said anges having their rear edges curved upwardly and forwardlyand adapted to be engaged by said breech block when the breech block is moved to operative position, said carrier also having a rearwardly extending tail adapted to be engaged by said breech block when the latter is retracted.

4. In a firearm, a barrel, a tubular magazine therebeneath, a frame supporting a breech block for movement towards and from the rearward end of the barrel, a carrier supported in the frame for movement to a cartridgereceiving position adjacent the magazine and to a cartridge delivering position adjacent the barrel, said carrier having a cartridge supporting portion terminating at its forward end in a downwardly extending curved wall adapted to abut against the rearmost cartridge in the receiver and prevent its movement onto said supporting portion except when the carrier is in receiving position, the carrier being also provided at the forward end of said supporting portion with a pair of upwardly extending members disposed forwardly of and above said curved wall, said members being spaced to closely and freely straddle the rearmost cartridge in the magazine forwardly of its head during the movement of the carrier to a receiving position, and means responsive to breech block movement to shift the carrier to its respective positions.

5. In a rearm, a barrel, a tubular cartridge magazine therebeneath, a frame having a compartment rearwardly of the magazine, a breech block movable in the frame towards and from the rearward end 0f the barrel, a box secured in said compartment and having inwardly curved spaced cartridge guiding ngers at its upper end, a carrier pivoted in the frame for movement in said box to cartridge receiving and delivering positions respectively adjacent the magazine and the barrel, said carrier having a curved front wall preventing the rearmost cartridge from leaving the magazine when the carrier is in a delivering position, said carrier being also provided with a pair of spaced, forwardly disposed, upwardly extending iianges permitting the reception of only the rearmost cartridge therebetween and onto the carrier when the carrier is in said receiving position, inter-engaging means on the carrier and breech block starting the carrier movement in response to breech block movement, and resilient means within the box and engageable with the carrier to continue each initial carrier movement to its respective nal position.

6. In a iirearm, a barrel, a tubular magazine therebeneath, a frame having a compartment rearwardly of the magazine, a breech block reciprocable in the frame towards and from the end of the barrel, a box secured in said compartment and having at its upper end a plurality of spaced inwardly directed cartridge guiding fingers, a carrier pivotal in the frame and extending into the box for swinging movement from a cartridge receiving position adjacent the magazine to a cartridge delivering position adjacent the barrel, and vice versa, forwardly disposed, spaced flanges on said carrier arranged to receive only the rearmost cartridge onto the carrier from the magazine when the carrier is in said receiving position, said carrier being also provided with a curved end wall spaced from and beneath the flanges and preventing delivery of cartridges from the magazine at all other times, cooperating abutments on the breech block and carrier engageable in response to breech block movement and initiating a carrier movement towards one of said positions, and spring actuated means arranged to continue the carrier movement to either of its nal positions.

7. In a rearm, a barrel, a tubular magazine beneath the barrel, a receiver to which the rear end of said barrel is connected, a breech block in said receiver movable towards and from the rear end of said barrel, spring means for normally urging the cartridges in said magazine lengthwise and rearwardly, a box in xed relation to said receiver and behind said magazine for receiving cartridges one by one from said magazine, said box having, at its upper end, inturned fingers forming a seat in which a cartridge is adapted to be engaged and from which the cartridge is adapted to be moved into the ring chamber by the breech block when the latter is advanced, a carrier pivoted to the receiver for movement from cartridge receiving position with respect to the magazine to cartridge delivering position with respect to said seat, interengaging means between said carrier and breech block for shifting the latter into and out of cartridge receiving position, and spring means for moving said carrier upwardly to engage the cartridge supported by the carrier in said seat after the carrier has been initially and positively moved upwardly by said breech block.

8. In a firearm, a barrel, a tubular magazine beneath the barrel, a receiver to which the rear end of said barrel is connected, a breech block in said receiver movable towards and from the rear end of said barrel, spring means for normally urging the cartridges in said magazine lengthwise and rearwardly, a box in fixed relation to said receiver and behind said magazine for receiving cartridges one by one rom said magazine, said box having, at its upper end, inturned ngers forming a seat in which a cartridge is adapted to be engaged and from which the cartridge is adapted to be moved into the ring chamber by the breech block when the latter is advanced, a carrier pivoted at its rear end and located in said box for swinging movement from a lower position where it is adapted to receive a cartridge from the magazine to an upper position where it holds the cartridge supported thereby against said seat, said carrier having a front face opposed to said magazine during movement of the carrier, interengaging means between said carrier and breech block. for positively and initially raising the carrier upon rearward movement of the breech block and lowering the carrier upon forward movement of the breech block, and a spring associated with said carrier for completing the upward movement of said carrier after the carrier has been initially raised by the breech block.

MARRINER, A. BROWNING. 

